Countdown To The Premier League: Where Is Your Money?

We are now less than a week away from the start of the Premier League season, with Arsenal set to host Leicester City in the league’s curtain raiser on Friday, 11th August.

As the big day draws closer, we are beginning to see intense speculation about this seasons’ potential winners and losers.

Who will be crowned champions? Who will be relegated?

Teams are clamouring to add new faces before the end of the summer transfer window on August 31st.

In this article, we will take a look at the season ahead and consider the contenders for team and individual glory.

We will also discuss which options offer the best value to punters across the UK, as bets flood in ahead of the new season.

Is This Tottenham’s Year?

If you were to look at the title odds for the new season, you could be forgiven for thinking that there was an established top three and a considerable divide between these sides and the rest of the Premier League.

While it is understandable that Manchester City (15/8), Chelsea (7/2) and Manchester United (9/2) should remain dominant in the minds of punters after a summer of extravagant spending, however, the odds of fellow contenders such as Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool do not reflect the competitive nature of the Premier League.

The fact that Tottenham can be backed at 10/1 is particularly startling, even allowing for the fact that Spurs have yet to strengthen their squad this summer. After all, the club finished second with an impressive 86 points last season, while they also boasted the best goal difference and the most solid defence in the league.

They also fielded the league’s highest scorer last season in Harry Kane and have managed to retain Dele Alli who is one of Europe’s most precocious attacking talents.

Tottenham only arguably need two or three additions to make the transition from contenders to winners, with a creative midfielder and a potent striker the top priorities.

With ample time left to make such purchases and Tottenham arguably in possession of the best first-eleven in the league, we think that Spurs represent excellent value to lift the Premier League title finally.

Paul Pogba for Player of the Year?

For anyone who is aware of matched betting, the notion of covering all bases when predicting outcomes is extremely attractive. So even if Tottenham ultimately do win the title, it makes sense that you should respect the individual quality that exists within the other teams that are likely to contend.

When it comes to picking your potential player of the year, Chelsea’s Eden Hazard is the current favourite at 15/2. Next, come the usual suspects of Kane (9/1) and Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez (10/1), but there is another star performer who offers even greater value as the new season approaches.

We refer to Paul Pogba, who is 12/1 to be crowned the PFA Player of the Year and certainly boasts the necessary credentials to achieve this objective.

Blessed with power, pace and tremendous vision, Pogba has now acclimatised to the rigours of the Premier League and has emerged as a leader in Jose Mourinho’s continuously improving side.

The arrival of Nemanja Matic should also enable Pogba to play higher up the park this season, allowing him to score and create chances for others as his talent allows.

Other notable contenders are Alli (14/1) and Manchester City’s talented Kevin de Bruyne (16/1), but Pogba is probably a little further ahead regarding his development at present.

Gabriel Jesus to Top the Goalscoring Charts

The top scorer accolade is something that all strikers aspire to, but arguably no more than during a World Cup year. Make no mistake, the league’s top forwards will be clamouring to plunder the most goals and secure their flight to Russia next summer.

Of course, the smart money would be on Kane (3/1) or Romelu Lukaku (4/1) to achieve this honour, with the former having plundered 29 league goals to win the Golden Boot last season.

Lukaku followed closely behind with 25 league goals, although he will hope that his transfer to Manchester United will enable him to increase his strike-rate.

If you want a little more value, however, a clear alternative may present itself in the form of Manchester City’s precocious Gabriel Jesus.

The young Brazilian is likely to start the season ahead of Sergio Aguero up-front (or at least in tandem with the Argentine), while the presence of players like de Bruyne and David Silva will also create a significant number of scoring chances.

This, when allied to his movement and quality in front of goals, makes him a great value bet at 9/1 to emerge as the top goalscorer come May.

For those who prefer genuine outside bets, take a look at the brilliant young Marcus Rashford (33/1).

While he will most likely play wider to accommodate Lukaku at Old Trafford, he is unerring in front of goal and will take the majority of chances that come his way.

I am a sports writer and journalist for The Boot Room (http://tbrfootball.com/author/lewisrhumphries/), while I also write for other outlets including Think Football Idea and O-posts. I have a passion for football and particularly the English Premier League.